Bowling ball insert



Patentecl May 3, 1949 This invention relates to vimprovements in 'bowling balls.

An object is. to provide. abowling ball .withV a cgmpressible resilient frition` surface plug in- -serted--within thewall surface of a finger .opening-in the ball, Whichplug is. of such a dimension-and is.sov positionedrwthin the..wall space ofthe.ngeropeningthatfthe bowleris able to 'exercise. maximum.. control over the twist. and

turn .of the ball vupon delivery.

A meritorious feature is that the friction sur.- face` of. the resilientinsert. is vso disposed .within the .wall surface .surrounding the .finger Vopening fthat; the front faceonlyof `thefnger. isin con.- ``tact-therewithwhereby the high. frictional con- 'tactis` only upon that position of the finger .through which direct. control is. exercised over `.the ball.

Another -meritorious featureis that the t 'st control. insert isso positioned within the wall -spacesurrounding thefinger openinginthe ball :that it. extends. froma point; flushwith the outer surface oftheballvwhereby upontheinstant of :release .of `theball. by. the bowler, the end, of the finger is in contact with such resilient lfrictin surface plug.

More particularly an object is to provide a bowling ball witheJ fingetgripping insert in the wall space surrounding the finger opening which insert is formed of compressible resilient rubber or the like which insert extends lengthwise of the finger opening from a point flush with the outer surface of the ball at the mouth of said opening inwardly toward the bottom of the opening. Such insert is flush with the wall surface of the ball surrounding the opening and has an arcuate dimension not substantially in excess of 120. It is fixed within a recess in the ball and it preferably tapers lengthwise from a maximum dimension at its inner end toward the mouth of the opening.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious features will more fully appear from the following description, claims and accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a bowling ball partly in section and embodying my invention in a finger receiving opening.

Fig. 2 is an elevaton of a bowling ball taken at a right angle to the elevation of Fig. 1 and embodying my invention in the two finger openngs.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view through a bowlingball exhibiting'.myinvention in one .finger receivingandone thumb recevingopening.

Fig.. 5 is a fragmentary..sectionalview through i abowling-hall .xhibitingmy invention in a slight;-

ly modified-form.

' Fig. 6 'is a vfragnentary .crossesectionalyiew taken. on the line 6-.;-6.. of 5.

The .bowling vball .itself-is a. ball .of conventional character formed of standardmateriahand.prof .vided .with the -usual fingezand thumbv lreceiving openings. vIn the. drawing .such a4 ball. is..- indicated.. by ,the ,numeral 1.0. Itfis .p1ov,idedxwitl1. ;a 'thumb receiving.. opening .i Vl 2 wand ;and a .pair .of finger receiving openings M. This isconventional construction. Each of ;the .finger .receiving, openings; is Ushow-n.ias.i@mhe flying my inven- ;tion

The. ball ;is cut away .alongthe .wall .surfac'eof a. firser.I opening, lensthwisetereof.. s o. asto exhibit-..a grQove. orreoesswhich. extends. from ;the c.,.t.=r` Vsurface ;of theballat. themouth of.. the

opening inwardly. lengthwisebf thebpeningto cal -finger opening. Thelgrooveisof adepth :13.0

receiveand retain,v a suitable. comnressble nlug. whichplug is, ofrubberomthelike- .Suhaznlle is indicated in the figures of the drawing by the numeral [6.

In the first two figures of the drawing the finger openings only are shown as embodying my frc'tion surface resilient plugs IS. This plug is illustrated as being formed of a suitable rubber combination of a compressible resilient character. Rubber has a relatively high friction surface. The plug may be secured in the groove in the opening by rubber cement or the like or the groove which receives the plug may be formed to interlock therewith. The rubber plug may extend, as shown in the figures of the drawings, substantially to the bottom of the finger opening. On the other hand it may be terminate spaced thereabove if desired.

In Fig. 4, a finger receiving opening l4 and the thumb receiving opening l2, each is provided with the rubber insert IG. It is obvious that such plugs l6 may be provided in both the thumb and finger openings or in the finger openings only.

This plug insert should preferably have an arcuate dimension not substantially greater than because it is desired that it engage only the forward part of the finger through which control is exercised by the bowler .over the ball. It is important that it does not engage the finger throughout its circumference so as to exert a suction or too much of a drag thereon upon the release of the ball. The drag should only be exerted upon the finger throughout that part through which the bowler exercises control over the ball. Another characteristic of the plug I6 is that while the depth to which it may extend lengthwise of the finger opening, that is whether it extends entirely to the bottom or not, may be as desired but it is important that it extend outwardly to the surface of the ball at the mouth of the finger opening. It is desirable that the bowler be able to exercise the maximum amount of control over the ball up to the instant of its release and for this reason it is important that the plug extend to the mouth of the finger opening.

Preferably the plug may be tapered as shown in Fig. 3 and received within a tapered groove so that the plug will be held securely in place Within the groove against accidental displacement whether adhesively secured within the groove or not. Such groove is undercut along its linear margin as at 20 as shown in Fig. 6 to assist in holding the insert l6 therein. The plug is illustrated as having a finger contacting surface which is flush with the adjacent portion of the wall surface of the opening in the bowling ball. At its outer end the plug is fiush with the outer surface of the ball.

In Figs. 5 and 6 means in the form of a shim |8 is provided which shim is received within the finger opening underneath the rubber insert |6 to hold the insert inwardly of the finger receiving opening.

What I claim is:

1. In a bowling ball having a generally cylindrical finger receiving hole, said ball provided in the wall surrounding the hole with a groove extending from the outer end of the hole lengthwise thereof, said groove' extending for an arcuate distance substantially less than the complete circumference of the hole and an insert of compressible resilient material seated within and filling said groove.

2. In a bowling ball having a generally cylindrical finger receiving hole, said ball provided in the wall surrounding the hole with a recess extending from the outer surface of the ball lengthwise of the hole and extending for an arcuate dimension not substantially greater than one-third of the circumference of the hole, a compressible resilient rubber insert seated Within and filling said recess, said insert extending inwardly from a point fiush with the outer surface of the hole and flush with the wall surface of the hole to a point adjacent to the bottom of the hole.

3. In a bowling ball having a generally cylindrioal finger receiving opening, said ball provided in the wall surrounding the opening with a recess extending from the outer surface of the ball lengthwise of the opening, said recess extending throughout an arcuate dimension not substantially in excess of 120, said recess being tapered lengthwise of the opening, a resilient rubber insert fixed within said recess and filling the same adjacent, saidV inset extending from adjacent to the outer end of the opening inwardly thereof and being flush with the outer surface of the ball adjacent to the mouth of the opening.

4. A bowling ball having a generally cylindrical finger receiving opening provided with a com- -pressible resilient rubber insert fixed Within the wall about the opening and being flush with the wall surface of the opening and extending from a point fiush with the outer surface of the ball at the mouth of the opening lengthwise of the opening and having an arcuate Vdimension circumferentially of the opening not substantiallygreater than 120.

5. A bowling ball having a generally cylindrical finger receiving opening provided with a compressible resilient rubber insert fixed within the wall of the ball about the opening and being flush with the wall surface of the opening formed by the ball material and extending from a point flush with the outer surface of the ball at the mouth of the opening lengthwise of the opening to a point adjacent to the bottom thereof, said insert having an arcuate dimension circumferentially of the opening not substantially in excess of 120 and being tapered from a maximum arcuate dimension at its inner end outwardly of the opening.

CHESTER W. JEROME.

. No references cited. 

